Historical November–December 2007 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Planning for our Second Hundred Years As this is being written, plans are beginning to celebrate Skinker DeBaliviere’s centennial.
There is a great deal to celebrate – the preservation of historic homes, the neighborhood’s strength in diversity, enhanced safety, being close even more so thanks to MetroLink. Our history has not been problem-free and there will be new issues to tackle as the years pass but we are unique.
We broke a mold and some other neighborhoods in St. Louis are doing it as well. Massey and Denton wrote a book called “American Apartheid” that is widely cited.
They maintain that once a neighborhood becomes 30 percent black, it will tip and become all black.
When I moved to our neighborhood in 1989, it was 58% black. But, it never tipped.
A strong community and strong churches and university produced an American anomoly and it continues to work.
The rebuilding of Delmar has certainly enhanced us as has the remarkable beautification in the neighborhood.
However, sometimes there are limits on what can be done and they are city limits. Recently, two students from Washington University visited me and a number of others to see what programs had taken place and what needed to be done.
They expressed concern about elderly neighbors who had difficulty paying for home repairs. That can be a concern becauise there are any number of residents who have lived here 40 years or more and are now on very fixed incomes.
Another concern is empty houses.
There are a number here but if the owner pays the taxes and has the grass mowed, there is nothing we can do to see that there are occupants again.
In other words, there is no city ordinance for this situation.
Another problem is a home badly needing repair. Even if the situation appears dangerous, the process is long and onerous to get compliance.
There is a home on my block that is a hazard and it continues for months on end. Despite the obstacles in our path, I would say the future looks bright. Hopefully, the planning effort will take hold. For it to succeed it needs the involvement of all sections of the neighborhood and must be reflective of our diversity.
The Times will do its best to inform neighbors of what activities are taking place.
The SDCC must be sure to reach out so that our diversity is not a hollow mask.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2007.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2007_11.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
